The social impacts of flooding and flood risk in Scotland Alan Werritty School of Social Sciences – Geography University

1. The social impacts of flooding and flood risk in Scotland Alan Werritty School of Social Sciences – Geography University of Dundee SNIFFER FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE : 27 February 2007

2. ‘Tangible’ impacts of floods What of thesocial impactsoftenintangible and longer lasting? Pictures: courtesy BBC

3. Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department Research Team (University of Dundee)Prof Alan WerrittyDr Donald HoustonAmy TavendaleDr Andrew BlackDr Tom Ball Advisory Team (University of Dundee)Prof Nick FyfeDr Hester ParrDavid Crichton Steering committeeScottish Executive, SEPA, SNIFFER and COSLA

4. Objectives of project • To assess the range of impacts that experience of recent flooding in Scotland has had on people, their attitudes and behaviour (new knowledge .... • To establish ‘what works’ with particular population groups and locations in relation to flood prevention campaigns and flood warning/dissemination systems. .... leading to new policy and practice)

5. Outline of talk • Background to project • Geo-demographic profiling • Household survey in flood risk areas • Focus groups (from survey respondents) • Interviews with flood risk stakeholders • Summary of key findings

6. Background Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 duty to promote ‘sustainable flood management’ Sustainable flood management providesthe maximum possible socialand economicresilienceagainst flooding by protecting and working with the environment, in a way which is fair and affordable both now and in the future” (emphasis added)

7. The research context Social impacts are a major ‘driver’ of future flood risk in UK (Foresight, OST, 2004) ‘These are difficult to quantify, but the analysis showed a large increase in all scenarios, from 3 to 30 times’ Expectations and attitudes also important BUT not yet widely studied

8. Methods • geo-demographic profilingto check whether sample truly representative • household survey on flood impacts and attitudes to managing flood risk (respondents – ‘flooded’ and ‘at risk but not flooded’) • focus groups which add a ‘human face’ to the material on flood impacts and contrasting attitudes to managing flood risk • interviews with key institutional stakeholders who manage flood risk both nationally and locally

9. Socio-demographic profile of flood-risk areasin urban Scotland

10. Household questionnaire survey

11. Main survey Edinburgh (2000) Glasgow East (2002) Perth (1993) Elgin (1997, 2002) Forres (1997) Hawick (2005) Postal survey Inverness (2003) Newcastleton (2005) Ft. William (2005) Orkney (2005) Shetland (2005) Household survey locations (dates flooded) Pilot Brechin (2002)

12. Reconstructed historical flood outlines used for survey property selection Sourced from local authorities and commissioned consultants

13. Response biases

14. Response rates

15. Typology of floods 633 flooded households 590 non-flooded households

16. Impacts of Flooding

17. Evacuation centre/ shelter Other Hotel/ B & B Private rented Friends/ relatives Council/ Housing Association Destinations after flood event n = 607

18. Classification of impacts

19. Likert scale responses to questions on impacts from a list of flood stressors

20. Mean Impact Scores

21. Flood Impact Scores by income group

22. Effect of flood warnings on actions taken prior to the flood(42% of households received a warning)

23. Flood Impact Scores by whether received warning

24. Living with flood-risk

25. Impact of living with flood risk - worry

26. Confidence of getting sufficient warning of a flood in the future

27. Knowledge about flood risk

28. Perception of risk of being flooded within next 10 years NB: ‘Flooded’ and ‘non-flooded’ live in historically flooded areas

29. Ownership of flood risk

30. Focus Groups

31. Tangible impacts • House prices and selling volume and value of house sales down immediately after flood, but some recovery after 2-3 years • Insurance mediates most of the financial impacts and experiences with loss adjusters generally good, but • difficulties with some builders/trades • problems with large excesses and limited availability of future cover

32. Intangible impacts - immediate • Trauma • “It was really stressful. I mean, I seen people … just sitting there crying. They just crack up”[Glasgow] • Anxiety and stress • “You walk back through your house for the first time and it’s covered in sewage. That’s a devastating moment”[Elgin] • “It puts a strain on your relationship as well because of the stress and everything of trying to find somewhere else to stay and sort everything out…you’re falling out all the time”[Elgin]

33. Intangible impacts - lasting • Health (mental and physical) • Need for counselling/support • Aggravation of existing chronic illnesses, e.g. asthma • “I wasn’t aware of it, you know but I heard my son talking to somebody, ‘God, my dad’s aged 10 years’”[Edinburgh] • Loss of irreplaceable items • “My mother died of cancer, I lost all photos of her, all photos of my kids, all the baby stuff, you know, memories when they’re first born, the memory box”[Elgin]

34. Interviews with key institutional stakeholders

35. Stakeholder Interviews - Local Authorities (1) • reducing the flood risk to a manageable level where the risk is known • watercourse maintenance within statutory powers; • use of temporary flood protection where possible and feasible • directing the planning process to avoid flood risk areas • increasing use of strategic land use planning (SPP 7) • technical input where possible from engineers to the development control process • promoting flood alleviation schemes where cost-benefit analysis is in favour, • public involvement in the procedures from the earliest stages

36. Stakeholder Interviews - Local Authorities (2) • During event Interacting as smoothly as possible with other emergency services within 8 regional emergency response arrangements – evacuation and rest centres • Post event • re-housing Local Authority list tenants • security for evacuated areas • business recovery • disseminating best practice

37. Stakeholder interviews - SEPA • Information provision (new flood risk maps) • Public awareness – especially flood awareness campaigns and Floodline • PLUS direct community engagementin conjunction with LAs • opportunity post event • but difficult to maintain contact • Expansion of flood warning services where beneficial • coverage (still some gaps) and cost-benefit analysis • Interaction with local and central government to increase direct warning (AVM) to those at risk

38. Stakeholder interviews – Insurance Industry • Aim to maintain flood risk coverage for existing customers • For properties that have been flooded new applications may be refused • Flood proofing to reduce losses encouraged, but not made a condition of cover • Re-statement of policy by ABI November 2005 – • requirement for 1 in 75 year standard of protection or flood defences planned within five years • market forces will dictate policy re: excesses and premiums

39. Stakeholder interviews – Scottish Executive • Promotion of 4 A’s for flood risk reduction • Awareness • Avoidance • Alleviation • Assistance (eg ‘Pay with Rent’ schemes) • Priority to allocate existing funding allocation for flood alleviation (£89 m) • Aware that prioritisation may have to occur • Aware of need to bring in social aspects to flood alleviation scheme appraisal • Guidance for local authorities now in progress

40. Summary: impact of flooding • Intangible social impacts score much higher than tangible economic impacts – key finding • Key immediate intangible impacts – disruption and inconvenience, stress of flood, dealing with builders and insurers • Key lasting intangible impacts – loss of irreplaceable items, worry about future flooding, longer term health impacts • Impacts more severe on less resilient households (low incomes, elderly and infirm)

41. Summary: living with floods • Warnings valued (esp Floodline once used) → some preventative measures adopted, but reduction in impacts modest • Having been flooded → greater worry and awareness of flood risk, but low confidence in getting sufficient warning for effective action in future (role for education?) • Personal ownership of managing flood risk low – responsibility transferred to institutions (esp. LAs and Scottish Executive) – need to raise awareness?

42. Summary: institutional stakeholders • Greater role for public/community engagement with LAs (planning schemes, emergency action during floods, raising and maintaining awareness) • Best practice in some LAs (AVM warnings, emergency action planning) of value to other LAs yet to experience major flood • Addressing needs of most vulnerable groups (‘Pay with Rent schemes’, temporary re-housing and securing properties whilst vacant) facilitates recovery and promotes social resilience • SEPA’s proposed extension of Flood Watch for inland and coastal communities endorsed

43. Postscript “My life was in two skips, things which you cannot replace, wedding photographs, birth certificates. I was in the RAF during the war and my flying log was all ruined. I had a couple of wings off my uniform, gone. These are things that you cannot replace … not by an insurance company or anybody else”. [Perth]